Into Your Loving Arms
by Down By The River
Summary: Oneshot. It's taken them a long time to get to this point, but Sam wouldn't have it any other way.


I swear I'm going to write more Hazard soon, but sometimes i just want to be all gooey and romantic and _straight-forward_...

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Glee or any of its characters. All rights to the proper owners. I don't own _Green Eggs and Ham_ or _Always _by Panic at the Disco either.

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><p>'I never told you this.' Sam started, his voice faltering slightly as he gripped the mic tightly in his hand.<p>

'But the first time I realized I was falling in love with you was back when my family and I were still living in the motel. It was maybe your third or fourth time babysitting for Stacey and Stevie and I'd just gotten in from my job at that little pizza place I delivered for.' Sam smiled at the memory.

'We weren't dating then, but I was already learning that there was so much more to you than met the eye. I was back, but Stacey insisted that you stay until you'd sung her to sleep. I admit, knowing my little brother, I half-expected him to complain that lullabies were for babies and insist that he didn't need one.'

Sam lifted his eyes to smirk at his little brother, older now and looking more like their father every day. He'd be breaking hearts soon, Sam realized with a weird mixture of dread and pride.

'So, you can imagine my surprise when he just snuggled underneath the bedcovers and demanded a song that wasn't too 'girly.''

Stevie raised an eyebrow at Sam and shifted in his white, plastic seat, uncertain if the following story was going to embarrass him or not.

'I remember I was exhausted, but I put off my shower because I wanted to see how you had magically managed to make my siblings agree on stuff.'

Sam laughed self-consciously to himself, aware that his wording could have been better, but knowing that it didn't really matter. _As long as the story comes through_, he reminded himself as he ploughed on.

'You thought for a second, and then you nodded and tucked them in. When you started to sing I have to admit I was kinda surprised. I hadn't expected you to even _listen_ to Panic at the Disco, never mind actually know the words. You sang _Always, _and as you sang I sat and watched you. It was then that I just _knew _that I was going to fall in love with you. The care you showed with my family, the way you treated me - like I was special, but not fragile. The way your voice made everything seem so much better, even when I was coming home to a cramped motel room stinking of mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce. I knew you were it. You were the _One_.'

Sam took a deep breath as he tried to fight the tears that were beginning to stick at the back of his throat.

'When we had to move I would sometimes sing that song and think about you. There was a while after we moved to Kentucky when Stacey wouldn't sleep at all without hearing it at least once, so I'd sing it and miss you like crazy - every single night - because you were my north star. You still are, and through it all, throughout the time when I was homeless, when I was sleeping on people's couches, when I was struggling to help keep my family afloat... When everything felt hopeless… I could look at you and know that I was home. With you I'll always _be _home.'

Sam sniffed and tried not to look up. If he did that now he'd be a goner and he was already hovering on the edge of being an out-and-out mess.

'The thing is, even back then my family adored you just as much as I did, which is why, when I asked to come back, they let me.'

Sam looked over at his mother, who was wiping her streaming eyes with a handkerchief while his dad wrapped a comforting arm around her.

'What I mean is, that you were a part of my family long before I ever caught a clue and figured out that I loved you. So, even though I'm standing here right now, in front of everyone we know, I want you to know that you were _always_ one of us, from the very first. You were always an Evans, Mercedes Jones. Today is just the day we make it official.'

Sam smiled down at his wife-to-be as she beamed at him through watery tears. She was beautiful, glowing really, and he'd caught his breath the second she'd first set foot on that aisle. Mike had had to give him a gentle shake to remind him to breathe as Sam had watched Mercedes walk closer and closer to being his wife. They'd come so far together, and now here he was, holding the slim silver band in shaking hands as he slid it onto her left ring finger. Mrs. Mercedes Evans was now just one vow away.

'Sam,' Mercedes said with a shaky voice, before she cleared her throat and started again.

'Sam, I have to admit that when I first met you, I didn't think it would be you.'

Mercedes laughed as she shared a knowing look with Kurt who was in the bridal party beside her.

'I spent so long wondering when it would be my turn, when my prince would show up… that I told myself that it wasn't going to happen for me and decided to be my _own_ Prince Charming. I told myself that I didn't _need_ anyone else.' She stopped and smiled up at him through her thick, dark lashes.

'I had this set image in my head of what my knight in shining armour would look like… maybe that's why I didn't recognize you when you first ran in talking about '_Green Eggs and Ham.'' _

Sam mock-cringed and Mercedes laughed, tugging on his tux jacket to bring him closer to her before she grabbed a hold of his hands.

'The moment I realized it was you came during that first magical summer we spent together. I think you know the moment I'm talking about.'

A blush coloured Mercedes' cheeks as she mouthed 'Tilt-a-Whirl' and Sam's face split into a grin, he remembered it well.

'And while the details of that moment I will take to my _grave_, it was after that day that I suddenly realized that… every other day that I could imagine… whatever I saw myself doing… it always had you in it. You were always there.'

Mercedes gave a little shrug and Sam reached up and used his thumb to wipe away some of the stray tears that had spilled onto her cheeks. He had to stop himself from kissing her when those tear filled eyes of hers met his - they were full of such love, and beauty, and _hope. _Sam was already halfway to her mouth before the priest cleared his throat pointedly. Mercedes giggled as she took the larger silver band that matched her own in her hand and held it for a moment in her fingers.

'When I lost you that first time… it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to experience.' Mercedes admitted, 'But even then, I _knew, _that someday it would still be you. It will _always _be you, because even though you were hundreds of miles away I could still feel you,' she lifted one of their joined hands and placed it over her heart.

'In here.' She smiled, 'back then, the thought of being this in love with you _terrified _me. We were so young when we found each other, and people were so quick to tell me that it wouldn't last.

Mercedes took a deep breath and slid the ring onto Sam's finger.

'But the truth is, that I love you, Sam Evans, and being with you I realise that I don't _want _a prince to save me. I just want you to hold my hand.' Mercedes bit her lip as an errant tear trickled down her cheek.

'This heart has had your name on it since my first breath, Sam. Always has, and forever will.'

Mercedes mouthed _I love you, _before she reached up to wipe the rogue tears from her cheeks. Sam knew he wasn't meant to do it, but he wrapped Mercedes in a tight hug anyway, _she needed it,_ he justified, _heck, he needed it too_. He pulled away from her just in time to hear the priest say the words he'd been praying he would hear with this woman at his side since they were in high school.

'By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride'

It was all the invitation he needed, Sam cupped his wife's face with one hand as he took a second to drink this moment in. This woman, this beautiful, exquisite, kind, caring woman was his _wife._

'Just kiss her already!' Puck yelled from the back of the groomsman line and Sam was happy to oblige. Mercedes' lips were soft and sweet on his and he smiled against them when he registered that she was wearing the same fruit-flavoured lipgloss she'd been wearing during their first kiss all those years ago.

'Mmm, _W__atermelon_.' he sighed against her mouth as he licked the gloss off her lower lip, forgetting where they were for a second before Mike carefully poked him in the side.

'You _do _realize that you're making out in front of _everyone you know, _right?' Mike whispered when Sam turned to give him a glare, 'and a _priest.' _

Sam bit his lip and looked over at Mercedes, who was very obviously battling with a case of the giggles.

Sam gave the priest an apologetic shrug, but the older man just rolled his eyes good-naturedly and spoke into the mic.

'Please join me in welcoming, the new Mr. and Mrs. Samson Clark Evans!'

Quinn and Kurt let out loud whoops at Mercedes' side and she did a little celebratory dance on the spot, laughing harder when Quinn, Kurt and the rest of her bridal party joined in. Sam threw his head back in laughter as his wife danced on over to him, giving him a sudden flashback to their first prom together when she started doing _The Sprinkler_. Puck, Mike and the rest of his groomsmen were already getting down with the bridesmaids while the song that was _meant _to be their exit music played.

'We must look nuts!' Mercedes laughed as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

'Oh I don't think so,' Sam grinned down at her and nodded his head in the direction of the congregation. 'They seem to be having a pretty good time.'

Mercedes looked out at the crowd of people who had come to watch her marry the man of her dreams and had to stifle embarrassed laughter as she spotted her parents grooving with each other by a flower arrangement. Meanwhile, her brother had somehow managed to commandeer Quinn and was doing some kind of weird waltz/tango hybrid thing with her in front of the chairs. Even Stevie was getting in on the action, spinning one of Mercedes' younger cousins out like a top before spinning her back in again. She looked delighted. They _all _looked delighted.

'You know, if this marriage is anything like this wedding, then I think I'm going to spend the rest of my life _blissfully_ happy, Mr. Evans.' She said, taking the moment to cuddle into his chest and feel his heartbeat against her cheek.

Sam laughed and she felt the rumble of it deep into her bones.

'Then prepare to live happily ever after, Mrs. Evans.' he said, beaming as he bent down to capture her mouth with his again, closing his eyes as he drank in the sounds of their loved ones laughing and dancing around them, and the feel of Mercedes against him. His _wife, _Mrs. Mercedes Evans, who was once Miss Jones, and who would _always_ be the one for him.


End file.
